Historical Figure
Kamala Harris
b. 1964
Vice President of the United States from 2021 to 2025
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Biography
Kamala Devi Harris is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and first Asian American vice president, and the highest-ranking female and Asian public official in U.S. history. Harris represented California in the United States Senate from 2017 to 2021 and was the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
In Their Own Words (5)
My mother was very intentional about raising my sister, Maya, and me as strong, Black women. She coupled her teachings of civic duty and fearlessness with actions, which included taking us on Thursday nights to Rainbow Sign, a Black cultural center near our home.
Instagram, (9 February 2020) , 2020
Who of us has not had that situation, where you've got to wait for approval and the doctor says, well, 'I don't know if your insurance company is going to cover this,' Let's eliminate all of that. Let's move on.
National Public Radio (NPR) Several Democrats Eyeing A Presidential Run Embrace 'Medicare-For-All', (30 January 2019) , 2019
No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.
Twitter, (29 January 2019); regarding Jussie Smollett, before it became clear he had staged a fake hate crime. , 2019
I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come. The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border.
June 7th 2021 press conference in Guatemala City, as quoted in uatemalans-not-to-migrate-to-the-united-states “Kamala Harris Tells Guatemalans Not To Migrate To The United States”, by Brian Naylor & Tamara Keith, NPR, (June 7, 2021) , 2021
They [people in El Paso] said, 'Do you think Trump is responsible for what happened?' And I said, 'Well, look. Obviously he didn't pull the trigger, but he's certainly been tweeting out the ammunition.
Said in a Democratic TV Debate "7 key quotes from the Democratic debate in Houston", ABC News, (12 September 2019) , 2019
Timeline
The story of Kamala Harris, told in moments.
Elected District Attorney of San Francisco. She's the first woman, first Black person, and first Asian American to hold the office. She runs against her former boss. He endorses someone else. She wins anyway.
Elected Attorney General of California. Wins by fewer than 1% of votes. She's the first woman and first person of color in the job. She takes on the big banks during the foreclosure crisis and secures $20 billion in relief for homeowners.
Sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States. The first woman, first Black person, and first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. Justice Sonia Sotomayor administers the oath. She uses two Bibles.
President Biden withdraws from the 2024 race and endorses her. She becomes the Democratic nominee within days. The general election campaign lasts barely three months.
More from the Modern
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